Three's a Crowd: The Dynamic of Third Parties, Ross Perot, and Republican Resurgence (Hardcover)

~ Walter J. Stone (Author), Ronald B. Rapoport (Author) "AMERICANS ARE AMBIVALENT ABOUT political parties..." (more)
Key Phrases: general election activity, identification dummy, continuing activists, Ross Perot, Perot Republicans, George Wallace (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

For those wanting someone to blame for the Republican resurgence that began with the 1994 congressional elections, Rapoport and Stone have an answer: blame the third-party presidential candidacies of H. Ross Perot in 1992 and 1996. They argue that successful third parties at the presidential level have the opportunity to have a substantial impact on the two-party system. The common analogy is that a third party is like a bee: it stings and then dies. The sting hurts one of the major parties. If a third party has a large and identifiable issue constituency, ensuring the major parties' bid for the support of its members, and if the party that "wins" the third-party supporters is changed, then the "dynamic of third parties" has contributed to the continued evolution of the American party system. Third parties, as the authors note, appear only when there is unhappiness with one or both of the two major parties. The authors have produced a near-mountain of empirical evidence to support their dynamic of third-parties theory. Summing up: Recommended. General readers, lower-division undergraduates through faculty. -- W. K. Hall, Bradley University -- Choice, October 2006

Review

"For much of our nation's history, we have enjoyed the political stability that comes from a two party system. Three's a Crowd probes how third-party candidates can alter party coalitions and spur the two major parties to embrace new policies. It's a fascinating read for anyone with an interest in politics."
---Bill Clinton, President of the United States, 1993-2001

"I am sending my copy of this book by messenger over to Mayor Bloomberg with a note: 'Run, Mike, Run!' If the Mayor wants to shape American politics over the next decade, he has to read Three's a Crowd. He'll see that his billions will be far less influential as a private citizen than his ideas as a candidate in a presidential campaign; you can't buy with big bucks the excitement that comes from big ideas shaking the ground beneath the feet of the status quo. That for me is the message of this superb account by Rapoport and Stone of Ross Perot's campaign in 1992 and of third parties in particular."
---Bill Moyers, Bill Moyers Journal

"The definitive account of the Perot movement and an insightful and convincing analysis of how third parties and independent presidential candidates can influence election outcomes and alter the coalitional bases of the two major parties. With speculation rampant about a possible independent or third-party presidential candidacy, Rapoport and Stone's Three's a Crowd offers a rich and rewarding guide for thinking about the 2008 election."
---Thomas E. Mann, Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, and coauthor of The Broken Branch

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 296 pages
• Publisher: University of Michigan Press (November 9, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0472114530
• ISBN-13: 978-0472114535
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,391,518 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three's a Crowd--Well worth the read, April 3, 2006

By	jls (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This is not only one of the most interesting books on the American political system that I've read over the years, but also one of the most accessible. Three's A Crowd is an exceptionally well-written and intellectual book that will appeal to academics, students, and the curious reader alike. Rapoport and Stone do an excellent job of developing their theory and supporting it with years of careful research. To anyone who has ever wondered why the American two-party system is the way that it is (and under what conditions that might be changed), I highly recommend this book.

5.0 out of 5 stars What made Perot a real player in presidential politics?, February 11, 2009

By	D. Williams "DJ" (Boston) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Three's a Crowd: The Dynamic of Third Parties, Ross Perot, and Republican Resurgence (Paperback)

Third parties have always interested me and I found that this book explained why and how they exist. It gave me a real understanding of what political circumstances will give rise to new party (what do we need to look out for!) I truly admired Ross Perot and this book explains his rise and fall objectively. They don't sugar-coat his candidacy, but they give it the respect it deserves.

1.0 out of 5 stars One is too many, September 28, 2008

By	Joe Domenici (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Three's a Crowd: The Dynamic of Third Parties, Ross Perot, and Republican Resurgence (Paperback)

The authors announce that third parties may make a difference in a presidential election. One wonders if Abe Lincoln could have benefited from this remarkable insight.
Thousands of words arranged in leaden and nearly indecipherable poli-sci English (?) brings forth not even a mouse. If only George Orwell were still living--what fun he would have reviewing this "acadaspeak".
O well, profs must publish, or they might perish-or take a meaningful job of work.In the latter case, at least the trees would gain.